1. Technical Information
The present apparatus relates to multi-purpose tools in general, and to multi-purpose extended reach tools having a rotary drive shaft in particular.
2. Background Information
A variety of tools are necessary for the construction and maintenance of residential and commercial structures. In particular, a number of tools are necessary to clean or repair portions of a structure that are out of the reach of a user. In some instances, a tool is necessary to enable a user to clean or repair a portion of a structure that is at a significant height (e.g., a rain gutter). In other instances, a tool is necessary to enable a user to clean or repair a portion of a structure that is hard to reach (e.g., the interior of a downspout).
A number of the tools necessary for the construction and maintenance of residential and industrial structures utilize a motor-driven rotary drive shaft. A power drill, for example, includes a motor-driven rotary drive shaft to drive a cutting tool, or other implement. A disc sander is another example of a tool having a motor-driven rotary drive shaft. Such tools are typically adapted as powered hand tools, and therefore have very limited reach. Also, powered hand tools can be expensive, and thus it may be cost prohibitive for a user to own a plurality of such tools.
A number of the tools necessary for the construction and maintenance of residential and industrial structures are operable to deliver water or other fluids (e.g., paint, bug spray). A hose with a nozzle, for example, can be used to deliver fluid at a relatively high pressure. Like hand tools, the hose suffers from limited reach.
What is needed, therefore, is an apparatus that can be used to extend the reach of a powered hand tool, and one that can deliver fluid or other fluids over an extended distance.